


The Princess Pariah

by Zirael_stan



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, F/F, Lesbian Azula (Avatar), Lesbian Ty Lee (Avatar), Ty Lee - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:55:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26553205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zirael_stan/pseuds/Zirael_stan
Summary: Azula always knew what she wanted, how to get it, when to act, how to look, but she was lost. Ozai was gone, she had no shield, Zuko, of all people, was Fire lord, she was locked up in a mental hospital, it was bullshit, Azula wasn't a headcase she just had one (in her own opinion, justifiable) breakdown, they couldn't even give her the dignity of a real prison. She had no one, or atleast she tried not to, Ozai never showed, he was in prison, Iroh never visited either. Zuko tried, he came for a few months, but Azula just bullied him, Mai went once, Zuko had begged her, she was told Ursa was on the visitors list but that day she didn't leave her room. no, she only talked to her. The only one who ever talked to her like a person, not like a princess, not like a criminal, like a person, her, and only her.
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow i wrote for the first time in like over a month, we love that, its short but like cut me a little pls and thx xoxo

Pariah, a noun, meaning outcast, that is what Azula was, she had a rather extensive vocabulary she often like to pull more obscure words, like pariah over outcast, or chalky instead of white. White, that was all Azula ever saw, the colour white, the walls were white, the floor and ceilings were white, her clothes were white, mostly, the milk was white, so was the hair of the nurse, an old woman, quite clearly Fire Nation from the red eyes, and general complexion. She was nice, to Azula at least, maybe it was because she was royalty, maybe Azula looked like her granddaughter, maybe it was out of fear, they took a lot from Azula but she could bend, she would always have her bending. She liked to bend, whenever she could, even small flames, nothing too flashy, it kept her focused, kept her sane. Sanity, something everyone doubted in her, doubt, something she couldn't afford to have, afford, something she-

Azula caught herself, she was doing it again, going off on a million tangents in her mind, how did she go from the colour white to her sanity? she couldn't remember, it didn't matter anyway, she had stopped herself and that's all that mattered. She sat at the table, waiting, watching the door. It was Saturday, 11:48 AM, Ty Lee would come in in 1 minute, she was always a little early, something Azula admired and appreciated. She would be wearing pink, she always did, it was her colour. She would sit down in front of Azula, give her that smile Azula often saw in her dreams, Ty Lee would tilt her head a little, ask "how was your week?" like always.

11:49 came, the motions played out, the pink, the smile, the tilt, the question, the question. "how was your week, La-la?" Azula was a bit taken back by this. La-la was what Ty Lee called her when they were 10, they were 18 now, she hadn't heard it in nearly 8 years. Azula felt her heart beat quicken, she was always good at that. She wasn't prepared properly, she never even thought about La-la, how could she forget? was she losing her edge? was she starting to decline? She didn't notice her breath getting quicker until she felt Ty Lee's hand on her own, "You're doing it again, having a panic attack" Azula was offered special privileges, touching visitors being one of them. Perks of being a princess I suppose. She stared down at Ty Lee's hand, it was so... soft, gentle, like a cool breeze on a warm summer's day. It always calmed her down.

"Sorry..." Azula had plenty of bad habits, constantly fixing her hair, burning things, but this was by far the worst, in her own opinion, apologising, she couldn't help herself, before the war ended Azula had apologised once in her life, now she did it 3 times every conversation with Ty Lee she had, she felt guilty, so very guilty, it haunted her every moment, how she treated Ty Lee for nearly a decade, it was awful.

"it's okay..." Ty Lee kept her smile up, she had forgiven Azula not long ago, or at least she was trying to. She knew Azula's story inside out, she was there. Ozai was an abusive father and her mother left Azula when she was young, Azula deserved a second chance as much as anyone else, it wasn't easy, Azula did some bad things, very bad things. Sure, she was groomed into becoming the next Ozai but it was hard, for the first few months to look Azula in the eye and not run for the nearest exit, but it was the first time she saw Azula cry, ever, that it changed. Azula wasn't an untouchable goddess of deceit and cunning, she was just a girl, a scared girl, in unfamiliar circumstances, trying her best to survive and make the most out of things, like everyone else.

Azula took a deep breath and rested her head on the table. "my week was... normal" She refused to say good, ever, it was only normal, not bad, adequate. Azula didn't talk much, she preferred to listen to Ty Lee talking, not that Azula had much to talk about anyway, she was locked in here 24/7, at least for now. Azula had tuned 18, meaning she as an adult, and with some good behaviour, a good reference from Ty Lee and her psychologist, she could be let go, sort of. She would be free to an extent, she didn't care, it was better than this hellhole thats for sure.

Ty Lee started to ramble about her week, Azula wasn't really sure what was being said, she just listened to the sound of her voice not the words. Ty Lee talked for what seemed like forever, until it was over, then it felt it was over as quick at it began, "Time.." a deep voice spoke, a guard. Ty Lee and Azula said their goodbyes, Ty Lee hugged Azula, kissed her cheek, despite it being against the rules. this was the first time she did this, in fact it was the first hug Azula ever got. Her face flushed and her mind was both blank, and racing with thoughts. She watched Ty Lee leave before going to lunch, ready to cry, again, the moment she fell in her bed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula has a pleasant conversation with her psychologist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100 reads in a day and 13 kudos wow ilu all

Azula sat in the chair, this room wasn't white, no. The chair was brown, comfortable leather, the walls were grey, not exactly not white but different enough for Azula to appreciate, his chair was brown too. Dr. Roza, that was his name, but Azula thought it was too official for someone of her status to call him when he refused to call her Princess Azula, so she called him Rozzy.

"How many times have you seen Ty Lee?" He was writing on his paper, he always was, Azula wasn't even convinced he was writing anymore, just doodling pictures, pictures of who? was it her? was he making fun of her?! She spoke

"186, as of 2 days ago..." She was spiralling again, Azula cleared her throat, and her head. "She says... I am silly, for counting, but.. I disagree, i think its important to keep track of things, keep a record..." this was the only time Azula really talked, it was confidential, she was safe to say whatever she wanted and no one would know and talking here was just about her only real way out. She thought about escaping, every single day. Except for the day that Ty Lee came, Saturday, she only thought of Ty Lee on a Saturday. 

"Why is it important?" Rozzy did this a lot, repeated what she said but as a question.

"Because... be.. because..." this didn't happen often, not outside of this office, Azula didn't know what to say, she had nothing, it terrified her, speechlessness, made her want to scream.

"Because she's the only person that talks to you?" he interrupted her mild state of panic.

Azula quickly gained her composure, "shut up... I thought you were meant to be nice to me? you are my therapist, after all" Azula huffed, a quick exhale through the nose as she crossed her arms.

"I'm supposed to help you, you don't need a sycophant Azula, you need honesty" He said, writing some more

"I am a princess" Azula glared, stressing the I, to say, I'm the princess, not you, not anyone else, me, and me alone.

"I'm a doctor" He replied

"You started it." Azula sat up a little

"You're behaving like a child." Their jabs were quick and calculated, every argument ended in a stalemate. It would've been like watching a world championship game of chess.

Azula rolled her eyes, "Sort of missed out on the whole childhood part." She said, "have to make up somehow"

"Or you could try and become a well rounded, functioning person, you wanna get out someday right?" He said, looking at his paper

"You say that like it won't be soon.... I've been here 1500 days! I have served my time..."

"We'll see about that at your appeal.." Rozzy smiled and looked at Azula, "I think that's time..."

"You better give me a good report..." she said, as she left.

Azula seldom wandered but today she felt like taking a walk, she walked for an hour or so, following the wall until she reached her room, she must've taken the longest route. She marked a small tally in her wall, next to her bed carved with a knife. "1,501..." She sighed, collapsing onto her bed, "1,501.. 1,501.. 1 thousand... five hundred and.. and.." she fell asleep, quiet as a mouse.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturday comes around again and Azula and Ty Lee have another conversatiom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nearly 200 already y'all are too good to me

11:49, same as always, Azula wondered how Ty Lee always got there at 11:49, she wasn't exactly the obsessive perfectionist like Azula was. Obsessive. The nature of obsession, thats what she was she was told, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD as Rozzy said for short, Azula wasn't a fan of abbreviations though, it was something the poor did, the peasants, she was so much better than that. "Good morning, Ty Lee." She smiled a little, something seldom seen in this glorified prison.

"Mooorning, La-La" Ty Lee liked to stress vowels in her words, something Azula picked up on rather early in their relationship. Relationship, it felt.. wrong, she knew a relationship meant any 2 people, friends, relatives, she had a relationship with everyone she knew but she also knew the implications of the word relationship, as in girlfriends, romance, sex. "Why're your cheeks red?" Ty Lee asked.

Azula coughed, clearing her throat, "This room is hot... the wind does not hit the windows as well as the rest of the building." She said, semi-convincingly. Ty Lee laughed a little and nodded, Ty Lee didn't believe Azula's fibs, she had gotten good at spotted her inaccuracies. Azula was smart but compulsively lying will get you caught eventually.

"So, did anything interesting happen this week?" Ty Lee asked, smiling at Azula, she took Azula's hand, just as soft as ever, her nails were short, filed, they curved and almost looked like a gentle smile, they smelled of perfume and the outdoors, for someone so physically active, Ty Lee was incredibly well kept and tidy.

"Valek stabbed a nurse during dinner so we all got extra pudding for any potential trauma it may have cost... pretty sick" She smiled to herself, "I got chocolate..." she was pretty happy with herself, "What about you? Did you do anything?"

Ty Lee shrugged, "oh.. you know, the usual, did some gymnastics, there was this competition.. no be deal, you know.." Ty Lee wasn't one to brag, she didn't like to push her success into others' faces. 

"Oh? Where did you place?" Azula sat up a bit, fixing her posture. She was interested, intrigued. She loved to hear about Ty Lee's life, it was almost like she lived vicariously through Ty Lee.

"Oh, well.. I came first, got a little trophy. It was cool, had a lot of fun and thats all that matter."

Azula nearly jumped put of her chair like a puppy when their owner comes back after work, "First?! Ty Lee! That is amazing! I love yo- it. it I love it. I uh, very..."

Neither of them spoke for a while, until the guard said time. "Thanks, Azula.. I.. I uh.. yea.." once Ty Lee left there was a loud thud on the metal table, and a growing purple mark on Azula's forehead

"I am so fucking idiotic" She said, "Rozzy's gonna love this."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azula spends her therapy session smashing her head against a wall, figuratively, of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 355 Y'all

"What do you mean you said you loved her?" Rozzy asked, always writing, if he was writing, she still didn't know if he was just drawing and making it up as he went.

"I mean I said I love you like an idiot!" She screamed into a pillow, it was her screaming pillow, for when she did things like this, it also happened to be her punching pillow when she was angry. She made it in one of her sewing classes, Rozzy made her take classes, apparently being a military general/firelord isn't a viable career paths and neither is Ty Lee's future wife so she needed something else. She picked sewing, gave her something to burn, she liked this pillow though. It was square, perfectly square, to the millimetre, the body of the pillow was red, with darker red stripes at regular intervals. The front was embroidered with golden letters AZULA in pleasant calligraphy. 

"well, why do you think you did that?" Rozzy was still writing on his yellow notepad. Watching her beat the living shit out of the pillow. Azula punched the pillow until she couldn't punch any longer, which was a long time, Azula kept fit in her stay, push ups, running, squats, punching walls, et cetera. "Was that good?" He asked

Azula nodded quietly, "yea... it felt good..." she held the the pillow close to her chest, burying her face into it. She groaned loudly into the pillow, this was eating her up inside. "What if she never comes back?"

"We can't know until Saturday, but I see no reason why she won't return..." He said, trying to make her feel better.

Azula shook her head, "I said I loved her, Rozz! She must think I am insane!" 

"Well, you are in a mental hospital.." He said, but soon realised it was not the time for their jokes, "I mean... You do love her, you were being honest, she can't fault you for that."

"I disagree." She said, standing up, beginning to pace, still holding the pillow. "I mean, She only just forgave me for the whole, evil plot to kill the avatar and that emotional trauma and now I love her!? It is just ridiculous!!" She looked at the walls with that intense, I need to dent my skull feeling.

"Why don't we get some ice cream? hm?" Rozzy interjected, "Does that sound good Azula" He tried to stop the whole wall crushing thing before it started.

"Can... it be raspberry ripple?" she asked looking at him.

He nodded, they walked to the cafeteria, it was between lunch and dinner, it was empty. They got their ice cream, ate it slowly, Azula had bad experiences with brain freeze, she was always cautious.

She ate it quietly, calming down a bit, "I can try to get them to extend your visiting time, if you can promise to keep up the good behaviour..." Rozzy said.

She nodded quickly, "I can be good... I want to get out.." She had been changing a little, every day but especially recently. She wanted to go for a walk, not have a curfew, have a girlfriend... have Ty Lee, she wanted. No. She needed freedom. At all costs.


End file.
